Category Archives: Zinfo

How to Use Your iPhone and iPod Touch with ZVRS-Learn with Dr. Z

Dr. Z at a recent Deaf Nation show met many customers who were interested in the Apple iPhone 4 and the iPod Touch for video communication. As can be expected with any new product, they had questions to ask and Dr. Z had both models on hand to demonstrate and they left our booth awed! This blog/vlog will explain how one should set up their iPhone 4 and iPod Touch so they can use it for video communication and also with the ZVRS video interpreter.

Some things one must do before you start using the iPhone 4 and the iPod Touch for video communication and they have to be done in this order:

  1. Set up an iTunes account on apple.com
  2. Set up a profile with ZVRS on zvrs.com (if you have done this already, no need to do this again.)
  3. Download the ZVRS app from the iTunes store.  It can be done in either of 2 ways, downloading it to your iTunes account on your computer and syncing it with your iPhone or iPod Touch OR click the “Applications” icon on your device, search “ZVRS” and then click “FREE” to  download it to your device.  It will ask for your password.  Use the same password you used when you set up your iTunes account with Apple.
  4. Enable FaceTime on your device by clicking  the  “Settings” icon and scrolling down to “FaceTime” and click FaceTime and turn FaceTime “ON.”

To make calls to other iPhone and iPod users, click contacts and click the button which has the FaceTime icon (video camera.)  You will be connected in about 15-30 seconds.

To make calls using ZVRS to a hearing person, click the ZVRS icon and use either “Call Contacts” if you already have that person’s phone number on your contacts list on your device or “Dial Number” if you are calling the hearing person just once or do not have that person’s number on your contacts list.

At this point, you should be all set to make calls and live “happily ever after.”

For more step by step information, you can click any of the following links:

– www.zvrs.com/iphone

– www.zvrs.com/ipodtouch

– www.drzvrs.com/learn

If you have any questions, send a message to Dr. Z using the contact box on the upper left corner of this web page.

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

Coming…coming…This Thursday-September 23, 2010 at 2 p.m. (ET)

Dr. Z got wind of some news and he was going to spill the beans…but he was asked to hold his pants as something exciting will be announced on Thursday, September 23rd at 2 p.m. by ZVRS.

It is yet another way to enhance video communication…

Check back on this website, or your Facebook or Twitter websites….

Tick tock…tick tock…the clock is winding down….

Dr. Z cares (and is excited about) your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

What Will Videophones in the Future Look Like?–Dr. Z and His Crystal Ball

Dr. Z is looking into his crystal ball.

The crystal ball gives us a beautiful view of the future of videophones.

No longer will we be limited to one videophone.

No longer will we need to walk to our videophone.

No longer will the videophone be put in the wrong room for its intended use.

By the time 2011 comes around, we will have a different videophone environment–one that the videophone is where you want it to be–on your person, in the right corner of your room, on your desk, not taking your TV away from you.

The mobile environment will be the glue that ties it all together—we will have a videophone that we will carry with us–it can be as small as a cell phone (Apple iPhone 4 or iPod Touch; Samsung Epic), or it can be like a tablet computer, like the Apple iPad. While the iPad does not yet have a front-facing camera, it soon will have–some of Apple’s competitors, such as Samsung are coming out with tablet computers that have a front-facing camera. All this means you will never be several feet away from your videophone.

Who will be providing all this? ZVRS will and it is ready–over the next few months–ZVRS will come out with solutions to make your video experience one that meets your needs! Look for them on this site, and on the ZVRS website (link).

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

Editorial #62-Are You Chained to Your Videophone? Get a Z Life!-A Guest Editorial by Karen Putz

Karen Putz–one of ZVRS’ Sales Managers in Illinois is a well-known blogger and writer. Some of her articles are published in the local newspaper. She has written a fantastic blog on how one can “get a Z-Life.”

The link to the blog is as follows:

http://deafmomworld.com/are-you-chained-to-your-videophone-get-a-z-life/

You can also enjoy the other entries in her blog.

One may ask–what is a Z-life? It is a life full of choices in video communication and you can call at your convenience without being chained to where your videophone is located. The bottom line is INDEPENDENCE!

Dr. Z (and Karen) cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

Learn Along with Dr. Z–Lessons on ZVRS for the iPhone 4 and the Z4

Dr. Z has been getting inquiries to learn more about Z products so he developed a website to do just that.

It is a very simple self-guided website with links to learn things you want to know about ZVRS for the iPhone 4 as well as the Z4-The Flexible Videophone.

This is the link to the ZVRS for the iPhone 4 Lesson: ZVRS for the iPhone 4

This is the link to the Z4-The Flexible Videophone Lesson: Z4-The Flexible Videophone

Dr. Z will continually add more lessons for these products and services as well as other Z products and services.

Enjoy!!

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

New ZVRS for the iPhone 4 App is Now Available for Download (FREE)!

The Apple iTunes Store now has the ZVRS App for the iPhone!

This removes the .40 cent requirement to place ZVRS video relay calls. You can dial using the ZVRS app from the iPhone using the iPhone Contact List to contact any hearing person using the top-rated ZVRS interpreters.

For more information, click on this link.

To download from the iTunes store, click this link.and click the “View in iTunes” button

NOTE: This only works for Apple iPhone 4–remember to enable FaceTime on the iPhone 4.

Dr. Z will add more information shortly.

ENJOY!!!

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects..

iPhone 4 and the HTC EVO-An Update by Dr. Z (Smartphone Update #1)

Dr. Z has been receiving a lot of questions on video communication using the iPhone 4 and the HTC EVO. This will be the first of a series of updates on smartphones.

Bear in mind, this is still early in the product cycle for both phones, they have been on the market for only a few months now–we would expect, with the pace of technology as it is, that there will be more things coming up with more features.

Right now you can communicate from an iPhone 4 to another iPhone 4 using the FaceTime software that comes built in with the iPhone4. You can find FaceTime by using the contact list on the iPhone 4. Be sure you have FaceTime enabled in the settings first.

You can communicate from an HTC EVO to another HTC EVO using either of 2 downloaded software packages–“Fring ” and “Qik” (not “Quik”.)

You can communicate from an HTC EVO to an iPhone 4 only if you have the “Fring” software downloaded to both the iPhone 4 and the HTC EVO. Qik does not work on the iPhone 4. The picture clarity for Fring is not as clear as FaceTime but it is possible to understand.

With the HTC EVO, you can make calls in a 3G/4G (cellular) or wireless environment . The iPhone 4 can only handle FaceTime in a wireless environment, not 3G.

Only the iPhone 4 can use a video relay service such as ZVRS. The HTC EVO does not have this capability yet, but will soon. For more information on the ZVRS capability for the iPhone 4, click this link.

We still can not use both phones to call a VP, such as a Z-340 or a VP-200. But it is coming down the road.

More new front-facing cameras are coming on the market in the time to come. Dr. Z will provide updates as they occur.

These are exciting times for video communication!

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

Las Vegas–What a Week!

Thumbs Up!!

Dr. Z was in Las Vegas last week and he was giving videophone (VP and VRS) prescriptions to the thousands of deaf and hard of hearing people who were in attendance.

The ZVRS booth was packed everyday. Dr. Z also gave 2 presentations on “Video Relay Service: Its Beginnings, Today and Beyond.” There was also a special event by ZVRS introducing ZVRS for the Apple iPhone 4.

What was most interesting was the booth–many people came to us and it was nice to know that ZVRS had different solutions for everyone–the ZVRS product line ranges from a desktop setting to a mobile setting and Dr. Z was happy to be able to identify the best prescription for anyone who came to the booth with a specific videophone requirement. People also asked questions on numbering and developments at the FCC.

No question–ZVRS for the iPhone 4 opened eyes and raised eyebrows–this is the future–a mobile solution that everyone has been waiting for! For more information on ZVRS for the iPhone 4, click this link.

Dr. Z will be posting more information on this website regarding ZVRS for the iPhone 4 in the weeks to come.

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.

ZVRS and iPhone 4 Featured in NY Times

The New York Times has published an article featuring the iPhone 4 and ZVRS. This is an informative article and the fact it is published in the NY Times as part of the mainstream media gives credence to this development.

You can link to the article here. (link to article)

This development is on many blogs such as Engadget, etc.

This is the beginning of a new era in VRS communications–mobile video communications!

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

ZVRS-iPhone, Laptop, Netbook, Desktop, Dedicated Units-Your Choice!

Come to Think of It…

We now have a choice of solutions for video communication–no more is the day we are limited to a device that does not meet your needs.

Looking at the ZVRS product line, you have a video communication solution for the following…

Mobile Environment – iPhone, Z4 (downloadable software for PC and Mac) downloaded to your laptop or netbook

Desktop Environment – Z4 downloadable to your desktop or laptop, Z-150, Z-340, Z-Ojo

Office Environment – Z-150, Z4 (downloadable to your computer)

Home Entertainment Environment – Z-340, Z4 (downloadable to your computer)

No Other Company on Earth Offers You More!

For more information, click on this link

For more information on the iPhone, click on this link

You can see all of ZVRS products at the Deaf World Expo in Las Vegas next week (June 19-22) at the Sands Convention Center.

In addition, there are a lot of services offered by ZVRS that supports all our products. (link)

Dr. Z cares about your communication access.

Disclosure: Dr. Z is a contractor working with CSDVRS on several projects.